George Martin and his partner Mike live a comfortable life in Jacksonville with their Irish setter, but something's missing. Maybe George, a captain in the sheriff's office, has just been working too hard again. There's been a rash of break-ins in the area, and the homes targeted all seem to belong to older gay men.<br><br>Then when the time finally comes for George and Mike to take their vacation, they pack up and head to their mountain cabin for two weeks-only to find a small boy living in their generator shed. Robbie, who bonds with George right away, has witnessed an unspeakable tragedy, but that is just the beginning of the trouble.<br><br>Alone in the world apart from a very ill maternal grandmother, Robbie stands the very real risk of becoming a ward of the state if George and Mike can't convince a bigoted judge to change his mind. Meanwhile, George still has a job to do: solve the break-ins-and a murder -- and track down who's responsible.

Break and Enter

I straightened my desk and headed out the door. Before I left the building, I took the elevator up to Chief Bridges’ office, hoping that I’d find him still at his desk.


“Come on in and have a seat, George,” the chief said when he saw me standing in his doorway.


“I just wanted to stop by and let you know that I’ve set things in motion regarding the new sergeant and team.”


“I had a little lottery and let Lieutenant Sanchez draw the name of one sergeant and one detective.”


“Quite well, actually. They’re all busily recruiting as we speak.”


He chuckled at that and said, “Give me a minute, and I’ll take the elevator down to the garage with you.”


Chapter 4